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Flu-related deaths nearly triple of last season

Vials containing specimens that SHL tested for influenza on Jan. 22 are organized in a tray. These 72 specimens represent a high volume of influenza activity and testing that dramatically increased in Iowa during the month of January.
Vials containing specimens that SHL tested for influenza on Jan. 22 are organized in a tray. These 72 specimens represent a high volume of influenza activity and testing that dramatically increased in Iowa during the month of January.
Jan. 24, 2018 -- Influenza activity continues to increase in Iowa, and is widespread for the third week in a row, Iowa Department of Public Health reported on Jan. 19. Levels of influenza activity in the state are close to, or have surpassed last year’s peak.

Since Oct. 1, there have been 29 influenza-related deaths reported in Iowa, nearly three times more than the 2016-17 flu season.

The number of influenza-related hospitalizations jumped from 119 for the week ending on Jan. 13 to 151 for the following week.

Influenza numbers also continue to grow across the U.S. All states except Hawaii report widespread influenza-like illness, with 32 states plus New York City and Puerto Rico reporting high levels of flu activity.

In the 13 years that CDC has conducted influenza surveillance, “this is the first year we had the entire continental U.S. be the same color on the graph, meaning there’s widespread activity in all of the continental U.S. at this point,” said Dr. Dan Jernigan, director of the influenza division of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases on Jan. 12.

The predominant flu strain this season is A (H3N2) in Iowa and nationwide. As of Jan. 23, the State Hygienic Laboratory had confirmed 835 positive influenza cases since Oct. 1, 2017. Nearly 80 percent of these have been influenza A (H3N2).

IDPH reports that this strain typically causes serious illnesses, hospitalizations and even death, particularly for those who are very young or old and those with weakened immune systems.

Influenza is a respiratory illness caused by viruses. It comes on suddenly and symptoms may include fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches. Illness typically lasts two to seven days, and can strike otherwise healthy people.

The State Hygienic Laboratory is part of IDPH’s Iowa Influenza Surveillance, which tracks influenza-like illness and other respiratory viruses in the state. These reports are available on the IDPH website, and are part of the CDC’s national flu activity report.

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